Support for automatic connecters



' June 16, 1931. ROBINSON Q 1,809,946

SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATIC co'NNEcTERs Original Filed Feb. 9, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOENEYs June 16, 1931. J. ROBINSON 1,809,946

SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATIC CONNECTERS Original Filed Feb. 9,, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B INVENTOR mam M hlma d M AT'rore E Patented June 16, 1931 mean;

Josnrn non nson, or NEVI YORK, N. Y.

SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATIC oonnnc'rans Application filed February 9, 1921, Serial No. 443,692. Renewed January 3, 1927.

This invention relates to automatic train pipe connecters, and particularly to the construction of universal joint for permitting movement of the coupling head.

It is the object of the invention to provide an arrangement of universal joint which is simple in construction and which can be easily and quickly assembled or disassembled, the parts being-so formed that they can be easily and cheaply manufactured. With theseand other objects in View the invention is embodied in the construction described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved construction Figure 2 is a detailed vertical section through the universal joint;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line k-f of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the tie rod and anchor device employed inthls construction.

Referring to the drawings in detail, indicates a lug, which is'rigidly secured to a suitable part of the car to which the device is applied, the supporting bracket 11 being secured to the lug 10 inany suitable manner as by means of bolts 12. Thelower end of the bracket 11 is provided with a rectangular opening 13 and an abutment 1a is arranged adjacent the upper part of this opening, the

' rear face of this abutment being preferably arranged substantially in the plane of the front face of the bracket 11. Below the opening 13 the bracket 11 is provided with a second opening 15 for a purpose hereinafter described. The lower part of the bracket 11 is provided with a narrow portion or projection 16 above which shoulders 17 are arranged. The opening 13 heretofore mentioned is intended to receive the upper end of an anchor device 18, preferably U-shaped, this anchor device being arranged with its arms extending upwardly. The upper ends of these arms are offset as shown at 18, such offset portions being adapted to lie within the opening 13 and to contact with'the rear face of the abutment 1 above mentioned. The lower part of the offset portions is adapted to contact with the lower wall of the opening 18 which wall forms a ledge or shoulder to support the anchor device 18. The construction of the opening 13 and'the anchor device 18 is such that said device when inserted in the opening will be removably hung orsupported on the bracket 11 and detachable therefrom by merely swinging or shifting the lower part thereof away from the front face of the bracket.

The central portion 18 of the anchor device forms a seat which is positioned in front of the opening 15 of the bracketand a tie rod 19 surrounds this portion of the device and extends rearwardly throughthe opening 15 of the bracket, the rear portion of said rod being threaded as shown at 20 for the reception of a nut 21, provided with an abutment 22.

The coupling head 23 of my improved construction may be of any desired form, but preferably is of the well known type provided with guiding prongs 23 for cooperating with a mating coupling head. A shank V 24 is secured to the coupling head 23 or to the usual conduit 25 which in turn is secured to the head. The shank 24' extendsrearward ly of the head 23 andsuch rearwardly extendingportion comprises two spaced arms or portions 26 which span the portion 16 of the bracket and'lie beneath the shoulders 17. The arms 26 cooperate with the adjacent parts 16, 17 of the bracket to prevent undue rotation of the head on a longitudinal axis. 7 The rear ends of the arms 26 of the shank are connected through the medium of a flange member 27 having a flange 27 adapted to contact with the rear face, 11 of-the bracket both above and below the opening 15 and hold the coupling head extended in front of the bracket. The flange member 27 isprovided with an opening 28 through which the rearwardly extending tie rod 19 extends, this opening 28 being only slightly larger than the tie rod 19. The result is that the rear end of the shank is supported on the tie rod 19 so that movement of the flange memher 27 transversely of the tie rod is prevented.

A coiled spring 29 is arranged around the tie rod 19, the rear end of this spring bearing against the abutment 22 and the front end against the flange member 27 so that said flange member is yieldingly held against the rear face of the bracket. The spring 29 also serves to draw the lower portion of the anchor device toward the front face of the bracket, which action serves to prevent ac ciden'al displacement of the anchor device from the opening 13 in which it is mounted.

It is apparent that the foregoing construction provides an arrangement which can be easily assembled or disassembled and which can be easily and quickly removed from the bracket when it is desired to replace defective or worn parts of the connecter, and it is also apparent that the various parts are of such shape and construction that they can be easily and cheaply produced, this being particularly true of the tie rod 19 and anchor device 18 which are preferably drop forged, and therefore strong and durable.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket, an anchor device having one end thereof detachably hung on the bracket and the other end free from attachment to the bracket, said first mentioned end of said device being removable from the bracket by swinging the free end of the device relative to the bracket, a coupling head, and means associated with said anchor device for movably supporting the head in front of the bracket, said means including a spring which exerts pressure against said device to hold the same against swinging movement relatively to said bracket.

2. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket,.an anchor device having one end thereof arranged above the other end, one end of said device being removably hung on said bracket and detachable therefrom by shifting the other end of said device relative to the bracket, a coupling head, and means associated with said anchor device for movably supporting said head in front of the bracket.

In a train pipe connector, a bracket having an opening, an anchor device having one end arranged above the other end, the upper end of said device being removably hung in said opening, and de.achable therefrom by shifting the other end of said device relative to the bracket the lower end of said device having a seat, a coupling head, and means associated with said head and said seat for movably supporting the head in front of the bracket.

4. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket. a U shaped anchor device detachably hung on the bracket and removable therefrom by shifting the same relative to the bracket, the arms of said device being arranged in substantially parallel vertical planes, a coupling head, and means associated with said anchor device for movably supporting the head in front of the bracket.

5. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket having a ledge or shoulder, a U-shaped anchor device having the arms thereof arranged sub stantially vertically and provided with a portion for engaging said ledge or shoulder, whereby said device is removably supported on the bracket, a coupling head, and means as sociated with said anchor device for movably supporting the head in front of the bracket.

6. In a train pipe connecter, a. bracket having an opening therein, a U-shaped anchor device having the arms thereof extending upwardly and into said opening, said arms having portions engaging a wall of said opening, whereby said device is removably supported on the bracket, a coupling head, and means associated with said anchor device for movably supporting the head in front of the bracket.

7. In a train pipe connector, a brackethaving an opening therein and having an abutment arranged adjacent the upper part of said opening, an anchor device having a portion thereof extending upwardly and into said opening and arranged to contact with said abutment and rest upon a wall of said opening, whereby said device is removably supported on the bracket, a coupling head, and means associated with said anchor device for movably supporting the head in front of the bracket.

8. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket having an opening therein and having an abutment arranged adjacent the opening, shaped anchor device having the arms thereof provided at their ends with offset portions, said oflset portions being positioned in said opening and engaging said abutment and the lower wall of said opening, whereby said device is reinovably supported on the bracket, a coupling head, and means associated with said anchor device for movably supporting the head in front of the bracket.

9. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket, an anchor device arranged in front of said bracket and detachably supported, a tie rod pivotally connected to said device, a coupling head, a rearwardly extending shank secured thereto and provided with a flange for contacting with the rear face of the bracket, an

abutment on said rod, and a spring surrounding said rod and arranged between said abutment and flange for holding the latter against the bracket.-

10. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket. a U-shaped anchor device removably suppor ed on the lower part of said bracket and detachable therefrom by shifting said device relative to the bracket, a tie rod pivotally en gaging a portion of said device and extendlng rearwardly of said bracket, a coupling head, a rearwardly extending shank secured upwardly extending arms detachably mounted on the bracket, a tie rod pivotally engaging said portion and ext-ending rearwardly of the bracket, a coupling head, a rearwardly extending shank secured thereto and having a flange member arranged at the rear side of the bracket, said flange member having an opening through which said tie rod extends, said opening being only slightly larger than said rod, whereby lateral movement of said member relative to said rod is prevented, and a coiled spring surrounding said tie rod for holding said flange member against the bracket.

12. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket, an anchor device removably supported therei on with a portion thereof detachably engaging the bracket, a tie rod pivotally connected to said device and extending rearwardly of the bracket, a coupling head, a rearwardly extending shank secured thereto, said shank comprising spaced portions which span said bracket, a flange member secured between the rear ends of said portions for contacting with the rear ofv the bracket, said flange-member having an opening therethrough slightly larger than said tie rod and through which said tie rod extends, whereby lateral movement of said member relative to said tie rod is prevented, and a coiled spring surrounding said tie rod and bearing against said flange mem her for holding the same against the bracket.

13. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket having an opening near its lower end, an anchor device supported on said bracket and in front of the same, a tie rod pivot-ally connected to said device and extending rearwardly through said opening in the bracket, a coupling head, a. rearwardly extending shank secured thereto, said shank comprising spaced arms which span said bracket, a flange member secured to the rear ends of said arms for contacting with the rear of the bracket, said flange member having an opening there through slightly larger than said tie rod and through which said tie rod extends, whereby lateral movement of said flange member relative to said rod is prevented, and a coiled spring surrounding said tie rod and bearing against said flange member for holding the same against the bracket. 7

14. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket having an opening therethrough adjacent its 7 lower end, a U-shaped anchor devicehaving thearms thereof arranged substantially ver- 'tically and detachably connected to said bracket above said opening, the intermediate a coil spring for exerting pressure ongsaid tie rodto maintain the same "in engagement with said anchor device.

15. In a tra n p pe connecter,in combi nation, a bracket, an anchor device having one end thereof arranged above "the other end, one endof said device being detachably connected to-said bracket and the other end being free, said devic having a seat thereon adjacent its free 'end,-ia GQDILQCtGI head, a shank extending rearwardly therefrompast said bracket and having a part for engaging the rear side of said bracket, a-memberpiYObally engaging said seat and a spring for yieldingly holding said member against said seat and said part against thegbracket.

16. In a-train pipe connecter, in combi nation, a bracket, an anchor device'arranged in front of said bracket and detachably connected thereto, said device having a seat, thereon, a member pivotally engaging said seat and extending rearwardly of the bracket, a connecter head, a shank extending rearwardly therefrom past said bracket and having a part for engaging the rear'side of said bracket, and a spring for yieldingly holding said member, against said seat and said part I again st the bracket.

17. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket, a U-shaped anchor device removably supported on the lower part of said bracket and detachable therefrom by shifting said device relative to the bracket, a tie rod pivotally engaging a portion of said device and ex tending rearwardly of said bracket, a coupling head, a rearwardly extending shank secured to said head and extending rearwardly thereof and having spaced portions arranged on opposite sides of said bracket, a

flange connected to said spaced portions for engaging the rear side of the bracket and a coiled. spring surrounding said rod and pressing said flange against the bracket.

18. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket hav ing an opening therein and having a surface adjacent said opening, aU-shaped anchor device having the arms thereof arranged substantially parallel and positioned withinsaid opening, the ends of said arms being arranged to engage said surface, a tie-rod pivotally connected to said anchor device between said arms and extending rearwardly of the bracket, a coupling head, a rearwardly extending shank connected thereto, said shank bracket, a flange secured between the rear ends of said spaced portions for contacting ,125 comprising spaced portions which span said with the rear of the bracket, a coiled spring surrounding said tie rod and bearing against said flange for holding the same against the bracket.

19. In a train pipe connecter, a bracket having an opening therein, a U-shaped anchor device having the arms thereof arranged substantially parallel and positioned within said opening, the ends of said arms being arranged to engage the surface of the bracket adjacent said opening, whereby said anchor device is detachably supported on the bracket, a tie rod pivotally connected to said anchor device between the arms thereof, said tie rod extending rearwardly of the bracket and having a coiled spring mounted thereon, a coupling head, a supporting shank therefor extending rearwardly from the head and having spaced portions arranged on opposite sides of the bracket, a flange connect- 1ng said spaced portions and arranged to bear against the rear side of the bracket, one end of said coiled spring being arranged to bear against said flange.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

